>>Menactra protects
against one of three types of meningitis bacteria that strike the
fluids surrounding the brain and spinal cord. The infection can cause
seizures, brain damage and memory loss, and can even kill otherwise
healthy people in less than 48 hours.

The strain Menactra targets
infects up to 3,000 Americans each year, according to estimates from
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Ten percent of people
infected with the strain die from the disease despite treatment with
antibiotics.

Meningitis can occur in
young children but frequently crops up among older teenagers and young
adults living in close quarters, such as college students or military
recruits.

Sanofi-Aventis plans to
apply next month for approval to market Menactra for vaccinating
children ages 2 through 11, according to the FDA's letter.<<

Menactra does target meningococcal A organisms so it should be useful
in the Philippines, at least for the meningococcemia confirmed cases
older than 11. As noted above, the case fatality rate is about
10%. In contrast the meningo-like cases in the Philippines have a
case
fatality rate of 68%. Media reports of a spike in cases this
year indicate that there are now well over 100 suspect cases in the
country.

Although the disease has been acknowledged as a secondary infection to
influenza, there are no reports of testing patients for bird
flu or antibody to H5N1.